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Three CJFL Teams Host Spring Camp

By Ryan Watters (@ryan2tswatters), 05/25/23, 5:15PM PDT

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The Raiders, Saints and Huskers hit the field

As the month of May draws to a close heading in the final weekend, three CJFL teams will open their Spring Camp as they get on the field to evaluate their talent.  This is also the final weekend before National Signing Day on Thursday. 

The defending Ontario Conference champion St. Clair Saints are back on the field for their second spring camp after holding one in April.  With their new partnership with St. Clair College, the Saints and their veteran coaching staff expect to have over 100 players again interested in fighting for a roster spot.

The Saints are coming off another wonderful season in 2022, winning the Conference and hosting a game on the national stage.    They have some big cleats to fill as they do each and every season, but with the amount of talent in camp, each position should have healthy competition. 

Over in the BC Conference, the Valley Huskers and VI Raiders will join the Okanagan Sun in hosting their Spring Camps.  

The Huskers have made incredible strides with their franchise in recent years and are expecting a full house at Exhibition Field in Chilliwakc this weekend.  Head coach Bob Reist has done an excellent job in recruiting players from the Manitoba area but has also begun to reap the rewards of getting the local minor football pipeline back on track.  The Huskers are seeing a lot more local players sticking around Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley to pursue their football opportunities, rather than heading elsewhere and the main reason is the connection to Reist. 

The Raiders are an interesting story coming into this season after a dreadful 2022.  Former Raider and current Toronto Argonaut Andrew Harris was named the new head coach.  The Argos and Harris, however, open the CFL exhibition season this weekend, so it’ll be up to the assistant coaches to run Spring Camp on the Island.  The Raiders have a rich history of CJFL success and a large alumni class that remains in Nanaimo or the surrounding area who will lend their knowledge and skills to the new crop of players in attendance this weekend.

Both the Huskers and Raiders open the new CJFL season at home on Saturday July 29th.  The Raiders host the Westshore Rebels, and the Huskers entertain the Langley Rams.